Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. “Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
Luke 12:1-3
This is another place where Robert Estienne has got the chapter break correct. It had to go somewhere. It is clear from the end of chapter 11, that the meeting at the Pharisee’s house has disbanded, and Jesus has exchanged that crowd for a new crowd. The new crowd was considerably larger. It is possible the gathering at the Pharisee’s house may have numbered in the hundreds, but this new crowd was many thousands. But Jesus takes the time to use the experience they have just had, as a teaching lesson for the disciples. He gives them prime focus in His teaching. He wants them to learn the lesson. Clearly the disciples were present with Him at the Pharisee’s house. Oh, not necessarily in the inner sanctum, the central discussion room, but certainly within earshot.
Jesus is still focused on the Pharisees’ hypocrisy, even though they had assumedly moved on to a new situation and new interaction or teaching. I would imagine it is also clear that many in the crowd have been following along too. Oh, they would not have all been allowed in the Pharisee’s house, but they would have waited outside for Jesus to reappear. Also they would have heard what was talked about before Jesus and the disciple moved into the private conversation in the house. This short segment which I have focused on in this Gem today, is also found in the other two synoptic gospels.
And Jesus said to them,”Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Phariseesand Sadducees.”
Matthew 16:6
“How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Matthew 16:11-12
And He was giving orders to them, saying,”Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
Mark 8:15
Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all,”Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Luke 12:1
Here the gospel writers are all using the same segment but for three different purposes. However, I suspect it is not their doing but rather Jesus using the same saying in three different ways. In the other two gospels, Jesus uses the saying after the feeding of the 5,000. He is using the connection with the bread, to bridge to the next point of teaching. In Matthew it is set in the same context as Mark, but Jesus makes the specific connection to the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Each time both groups are implicated. In Mark, Jesus doesn’t refer to the teaching of the Pharisees but the leaven of the Pharisees, and then adds to the mix the leaven of Herod. Herod doesn’t give any teaching. The use of leaven here is talking about something else entirely. I will save that secret for when I Gem Mark. In Luke it is not the teaching of the Pharisees that is in focus. Rather it is the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, the very thing that Jesus has been focused on through the last chapter. Luke mentions neither the Sadducees nor Herod. Jesus was still focusing on the hypocrisy of Pharisees despite the fact that He was in different setting with a larger crowd.
Luke is certainly not drawing attention to the Pharisees teaching in this segment. They have not been teaching at all. It is the Pharisees’ hypocrisy that Jesus is using to warn the disciples of the dangers therein. The Pharisees were intent on covering up the fact that they were not concerned with truth in the inner parts, but rather, merely wanting to appear righteous on the outside. They were keeping up appearances and not at all concerned with being real. His comments now, are no longer directed toward the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, but for the disciples benefit. In other words, He was warning His disciples not to fall into the same trap as the Pharisees: being concerned only with how they appeared to others and not being real on the inside.
Interesting, that Jesus returns to the light and darkness theme, but puts a new twist on it. It is futile to cover up those things that you don’t want revealed. Whatever you said in the dark, whatever you did in the dark will be brought into the light. The light will expose it. Many think this means on Judgement Day, when all things will be made known. Well, that is certainly true. But I suspect Jesus is saying it will be brought to the light before then. The terms that are used here are of the parts of the house. The word used here [tameion] signifies the private places or the deep inner parts of the house. Those places that might be used for whispering deep dark secrets. Those inner secrets will be brought to light. Where? When? Any time on the roof top of the house. The roof top was a place where public announcements could be made. Or where conversations held in private, could be easily heard by others standing nearby. The likelihood of your making it through life with your sins still hidden is remote. But even if you do, Judgement Day WILL expose them. So don’t even bother. Let the light in to expose them.
The wages of sin is death. Repent before payday.
Anon
In repentance we must do 3 things in relation to sin: see it, own it & turn from it.
Darrin Patrick
The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.
D.L. Moody
To see sin without grace is despair. To see grace without sin is arrogance. To see them in tandem is conversion.
Max Lucado